Tag Archives: J. Julian Christopher

For this special episode, a little something different — instead of hearing your regular host, Go See a Show! is proud to host on the podcast a talkback conducted by Indie Theatre Now‘s Martin Denton with playwrights J. Julian Christopher, Leah Nanako Winkler, and terraNOVA‘s Producing Artistic Director Jennifer Conley Darling, after the company’s recent workshop series at IRT Theater (you can hear GSAS!’s interview with Julian about his show, Animals Commit Suicide, here — and check out his other plays on IndieTheatreNow!).

Though it’s not the usual podcast fare, I enjoyed listening to these artists in conversation, and I think you will, too. This is an especially great episode for anyone interested in new play development — terraNOVA has what seems to be a sustainable and effective process for shepherding new work to the stage (and if Animals Commit Suicide is any indication, it’s proving to be a successful one).

Here’s to more great new off-off-Broadway theatre in 2014 — happy new year!

“How did I know it was for me? It scared the shit out of me. That’s pretty much how I gauge the work that we like…”

Whenever we walk into that dark room for a work of theatre, I think it’s safe to say that most of us are, at the least, looking to be entertained. But the theatre that excites me most is that which is not only enjoyable, but also provokes.

It’s not common, but it’s a great trick when it works. This episode is about a show that succeeds in this way.

terraNOVAcollective presents J. Julian Christopher‘s Animals Commit Suicide, directed by Jose Zayas, as part of their terraNOVA Rx development series, and while the show’s subject sounds (and is) incredibly dark—a young man actively seeking to get infected with HIV—the play works as a play rather than a moralizing, bash-you-over-the-head screed. It makes for a provocative, yet enjoyable night of theatre.

Listen in as Julian & Jose discuss how to wrap scary material into a love story, writing like an actor, addressing dangerous questions through theatre, and “truth.”

“…the people who I like being with are the ones who are willing to take that journey, who are willing to go, ‘I may not approve of this, but I’m willing to go there with it, and stretch my humanity, and think about why someone would do something that I don’t understand.'”

88 episodes from the launch of this little podcast, we come full circle, with the return of playwright (and guest on the inaugural episode of the show) Mariah MacCarthy to the mic.

The company she artistic directs, CAPS LOCK THEATRE, is currently running a festival at The Secret Theater in Queens called Sex WithRobots, with eight brand new short plays (and a song cycle) all featuring — appropriately enough — sex with robots.

Listen in as Mariah and I discuss the sharing of internet scraps involving robot sex, our real world selves vs. our data doubles, how much we both love Gus Schulenburg, and why the artists of this festival are bringing sex with robots to the stage.